Judge denies ACLU’s request to bar irritant use

RICHMOND, Va. (AP)- A judge has denied an emergency request by lawyers from the Virginia branch of the American Civil Liberties Union to bar police from using chemical irritants or other devices to disperse protesters.

News outlets report Richmond Circuit Judge Beverly Snukals ruled Tuesday that granting the request would interfere with the ability of police to do their jobs. The ACLU said in a statement they’ll continue to pursue the lawsuit.

Attorneys from the organization had argued in Richmond on Monday that police violated protesters’ constitutional rights to speech by using these devices to disperse a protest outside city hall on June 23. Several Richmond protests have included vandalism and destruction of property.

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